1141 Bennington Street

Enhancing connections to Belle Isle Marsh, Constitution Beach, and Greenway

Located along a busy commercial corridor in the Orient Heights neighborhood of East Boston, this mixed-use development provides 221 residential units and ground-level retail space with views and access to the nearby natural resources. With a variety of unit sizes, the project offers MBTA-accessible and inclusionary housing for families and commuters.

The development’s massing complements the scale of the surrounding neighborhood. Two residential buildings are split to create a view corridor through the center of the site while the dynamic facade plays with light and shadows, changing throughout the day/season. In addition to the active ground level, the interior spaces provide moments of respite through a series of outdoor porches, decks, and landscaping.

In collaboration with PLAN: East Boston, the project site and surrounding area are reimagined to establish an inviting, multimodal street frontage. Significant public realm improvements include widening the site’s intersection to accommodate an outdoor community amenity space and improved safety for pedestrians and bikes. In addition, this realignment directly connects the development to a network of neighborhood bike paths, the Belle Isle Marsh, and Constitution Beach.

With its proximity to these beloved coastal sightlines, resiliency and sustainability are essential components of the design. The building is all-electric, net-zero-ready in support of Boston’s Carbon Free initiative. In addition to the improved pedestrian connections, more than 30% of the site is dedicated to open space, and a vegetated berm will provide resiliency defense for the nearby MBTA station.